The present invention generally relates to the field of handlebar controls for motorcycles.
Traditional motorcycle handlebar controls include high current switches connected between a power source and the device being controlled. For example, a horn is turned on by a switch that is connected between the battery and the horn. When turned on, current flows through the switch and sounds the horn. The wires used with the handlebar controls are sized to handle the current drawn by the device being controlled (e.g., a lamp). This can result in the wires having a gauge of 16 awg. or more. In addition, each switch has to be directly connected to the device it is controlling. This results in large numbers of wires being routed throughout the motorcycle. Also, specialized wiring connections are needed for each modification (e.g., for incorporating optional equipment or for different motorcycle models). Performing an upgrade on a motorcycle results in wiring changes that provide an opportunity for the introduction of wiring problems (e.g., shorts, incorrect connections, etc.). Severe limitations exist as to the features that can be added to a motorcycle due to the size constraints of a motorcycle and the size and quantity of wires in the motorcycle.